The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles having a cellulosic transfer layer positioned adjacent to a primary absorbent. More particularly, the invention relates to a cellulosic transfer layer having particular characteristics which is positioned adjacent to and overlies a portion of the bodyfacing surface of the primary absorbent
Generally, disposable absorbent articles include, in their construction, an absorbent core positioned between a liquid-permeable cover and a liquid-impermeable baffle. The cover material is generally designed to allow body exudates to permeate through the cover so that the absorbent core can absorb the fluids. The baffle material is generally fluid impermeable and is positioned so that it is away from the body. As used herein, the term "absorbent articles" refers to products such as diapers, sanitary napkins, training pants, incontinent garments, overnight pads, panty liners, underarm shields, as well as other absorbent devices used for medical purposes such as surgical absorbents. Such articles are designed to absorb body fluids, such as urine, menses, blood, perspiration and other excrement discharged by the body. For purposes of clarity and illustration only, the embodiments described herein will be in the form of a sanitary napkin, also referred to as a catamenial pad, a feminine pad, an overnight pad, a panty liner, and a panty shield; all of which are designed to be worn by a woman to absorb menses and other body fluids discharged before, during, and after a menstrual period. Such products are external devices which typically are held in position by a garment adhesive or by mechanical attachment to an adjacent undergarment.
One continuing problem of disposable absorbent articles is that the bodily excretions are usually directed at one portion of the absorbent, whereas the absorptive capacity is spread over a greater area. This localized insulting of body fluid may cause a conventional sanitary napkin made of multiple layers of cellulosic material to collapse inward. This collapse prevents fluid from being conducted downward and substantially diminishes the inherent resiliency of the cellulosic material which in turn may lead to failure of the sanitary napkin and soiling of the wearer and/or her clothes.
To increase the absorbent utilization one or more transfer layers have been employed. Typically, the materials used in such transfer layers are nonwoven, polymeric webs. A disadvantage of these structures is their inherent hydrophobic nature. To increase the hydrophilicity, the web can be coated with a surfactant and constructed having a relatively dose pore structure. One example of this type of material is a meltblown material available from Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
Since menses is not a uniform composition and contains fluids, such as plasma and blood cells, and highly viscous materials such as mucus and tissue, a problem experienced by these polymeric transfer layers is that dose pore structure filters out the more fluid-like constituents. The more viscous materials, e.g. the mucus and tissue, hang on the bodyfacing surface of the transfer layer. This too may contribute to failure of the absorbent article resulting in soiling the wearer and/or her clothing. Alternative, when the transfer layer pore structure is large, insulting fluids are not sufficiently distributed allowing localized absorption of the body fluids and the problem associated with localized absorbent utilization discussed above occurs. Accordingly, there is a need for a transfer layer that can distribute both the fluid-like and the more viscous materials.